Bhopal is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. It lies in the central region of India, and is thus accessible to all major cities located across the length and breadth of India. It’s primarily divided into new Bhopal and old Bhopal. Within the state, it’s the administrative headquarters of the Bhopal district.

The city of Bhopal is a classic amalgamation of the old and new. Those visiting the city will find a sprinkling of ancient temples and mosques as well as modern educational institutions and research facilities. Bharat Bhavan, one of India’s cultural centers is located here. Taj-ul Masjid, Laxmi Narayan Temple, and Shaukat Mahal are among the popular places of worship.

An A-2 class city, Bhopal is a strong economic, political, and educational center. Among the prominent national institutes and facilities in Bhopal are Indian Space Research Organization’s Master Control Facility, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), and School of Planning and Architecture, and Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT).

Stats and Facts

• The population of Bhopal, as per the reports of the Census of India 2011, is 17,95,648. The urban/metropolitan population, on the other hand, is 18,83,381
• The average sex ratio of Bhopal is 911 per 1000 males, which is well below the national average of 940 per 1000 males. The child sex ratio, on the other hand, is 917 per 1000 boys
• The average literacy rate of Bhopal is 85.24%
• With a number of natural and artificial lakes present in the city, Bhopal is affectionately called the City of Lakes
• Bhopal is known internationally for the Bhopal Gas Tragedy that occured in 1984. A whole host of poisonous gases was released in the air, from the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide manufacturing plant. This is one of the worst industrial disasters the world has ever seen
• Geographically, Bhopal is located on the Malwa Plateau and just north of the upper limit of the Vindhya mountain ranges

Industrial Production

• Bhopal has several industrial areas or zones containing both small-scale and medium-scale industries
• The prominent industries in the city are flour and cotton milling, painting, cloth weaving, heavy electrical equipment such as traction motors and switch gears, sporting goods, and matches
• The largest manufacturing enterprise in India, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has a unit in the eastern part of the city
• The Govindpura Industrial Area has 1044 industries involved in multiple kinds of production activities. The largest industrial area in Madhya Pradesh though, is Mandideep. The world’s largest graphite electrode plant, Hindustan Electro Graphite (HEG), and India’s oldest tractor manufacturers, Eicher Tractors, are situated in the city

Connectivity

• Bhopal has an international airport near the satellite suburb of Bairagarh. The Raja Bhoj International Airport can be reached through multiple road routes
• Bhopal being centrally located, it is well connected by train routes. It lies in the West Central Railway Zone and has 3 railway stations. Bhopal Railway Station, Habibganj Railway Station and Bairagarh Railway Station are the major railway stations in the city
• Bhopal’s road connectivity is excellent, with two national highways, NH 12 and NH 86 connecting the city to major cities in the east and west. One can reach Indore from Bhopal by taking the State Highway 17. There are daily buses to the other towns and cities in Madhya Pradesh as well as to cities in other states, such as Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Shirdi, Pune, and Jaipur
• Bhopal City Link Limited provides bus service within the city. Besides the metro buses, it operates the GPS navigation-enabled Tata Starbus. Private operators, too, add to the strength of the bus network in the city. Auto-rickshaws and radio taxis are other popular modes of transport in the city
• In the year 2013, a Bus Rapid Transit System named MyBus became functional in Bhopal.

Industrial Zone

Bhopal has always been known as an industrial powerhouse. The Govindpura Industrial Zone is home to numerous small and medium industries. Apart from the sprawling plants of the state- owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, and the Bhilwara Group-owned HEG, the industrial cluster of Mandideep houses the factories of Crompton Greaves, Lupin, Procter & Gamble, Parle Agro and the Vardhaman Group among others. All this greatly impact the Bhopal real estate scene.
Other key industries in the city include cotton, electrical goods, jewelry, medicines, chemicals, flour milling, painting and weaving, match-making, sporting equipment and sealing wax. Retail businesses are spread all over the city and it is also famous for its batua and zardozi handicrafts. Automobile customisation is turning into a major business activity in recent times, while conglomerates like the DB Corp or Bhaskar Group are based here with strong media businesses. The Mandideep Industrial Zone exports goods worth a few thousand crores every year. Hindustan Electro Graphite is a major employer in the city, along with Eicher Tractors and Makson Group of Companies.

Lifestyle
Bhopal is a gastronomes delight, with multiple restaurants in and around the city selling everything from Indian to Mughali and Nawabi cuisine. Eid and Diwali are special festivals in the city. Bharat Bhavan is a prominent cultural centre in the city, with an open air amphitheatre, an art gallery, a tribal museum, theatres and more. The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya is an organisation depicting mankinds story in space and time. This has a significant presence in Bhopal.
Bhopal also has a vibrant sporting culture and several state-of-the- art stadiums. There are several shopping malls in Bhopal, including the Peoples Mall, DB City Mall and Aura Mall, among others. The city is dotted with entertainment and recreational zones. The Fish Aquarium, Regional Science Centre, several beautiful lakes and monuments like the Taj-ul-Masajid make up the unique character of the city.